Lord Of The Flies Flashcards
Throughout the novel, what is Golding’s foundation?
That moral and societal constraints are learned rather than innate- that human tendency to obey rules, behave peacefully, and follow orders is imposed by a system that is not part if human nature
What does the novel dramatize?
The conflict between mans civilizing instinct versus barbarizing instinct that exits in human beings
Why use young boys as characters in the novel?
Woman mature faster than boys
Middle school= caught between adulthood ad being a little kid
What are the ordering elements of society?
Morality (doing the right thing) structure, law, culture, good
What are the chaotic elements of society?
Savage animalistic instincts, anarchy, bloodlust (desire for death), desire for power, amorality (don’t have morals), selfishness, violence, evil
What is said about the HUMAN ANIMAL?
The HUMAN ANIMAL needs to put the curbs of civilization on himself or he will ultimately destroy himself.
Ralph
“Fair-haired” youth
One of the older boys
Remains leader throughout most of the action
Focus remains mainly on Ralph as he tries to establish rule and order
Represents utilitarianism- he believes in what works best for the whole group
Jack
Develops from leader of the choir boys to chief of the savage hunters
Indirectly/directly responsible for the atrocities that occur on the island
He believes dictatorship- strict division between ruler and those who are ruled
Piggy
Intellectual of the group
Physically weak, whiner, but he perceives what others cannot on an intellectual level
He understands the inherent benefits or dangers of a situation
Ridiculed and ignored
Aligns with Ralph because of the phenomenon of how natural leadership and natural intelligence usually cone together
Simon
Most unique character
Remains largely uninvolved with power struggles between Ralph and Jack
He does his work and looks after the littluns
He has “sait-like” vision of things and comes to learn the truth about the Lord of the Flies
He is epitome of a “Christ-figure” in literature
Roger
An alter ego to Jack
He is a bully and a sadist
He evolves into Jacks henchmen
Sam’nEric
Identical twins who remain close to Ralph until the very end of the novel
Littluns
Generic name fir all younger boys on the island
They represent the “unthinking masses” of society
They need to be taken care of and can be swayed by the slightest provocation
What are three things that define human society?
Common need
Common fear
Common desire
(If one thing changes- then the entire outcome changes)
Ch 1
What is the Conch a symbol of?
Symbol of order
Ch 1
Name two early forebodings
Taunting of Piggy
Jack expresses a fierce desire to be leader
Ch 2
What rule did Ralph establish?
He who has the conch gets to speak
Ch 2
What does a littlun complain of?
A “beastie”
Seeds of doubt and fear are planted
At this point, the beast is merely an idea that frightens the other boys
What does the beast eventually represent?
The “beast” comes to represent the instincts of power, savagery, violence, and evil that lurks in us all
Ch 2
What does the beast stand for?
The imaginary beast that frightens all the boys stands for the primal instinct on savagery that exists within all human beings
Only Simon realizes that they fear the beast because it exists within each of them
As boys grow more savage, their belief in the beast grows stronger
Ch 2
What does fire represent?
Fire comes to represent hope and hell
Ch 2
What do Piggy’s glasses symbolize?
A symbol of rationality and intellect- enable boys to light fires
Ch 2
What kind of figure is Piggy?
Promethean figure- brings wisdom to the group, he suffers)
Ch 2
What does the jungle represent to Jack?
Adaptive, predator, he is alpha male
Ch 2
What does the jungle represent to Piggy and Ralph?
Normal teenager, don’t like bugs/pests of woods
Ch 2
What does the jungle represent to Simon?
He is communicating with nature, he enjoys is, it is his sanctum, a place where he is at peace
Ch 3
Why is Jack drawn into the hunt?
By his bloodlust and desire for power
Ch 3
How does Ralph represent human society?
Orderly forces of civilization
Ch 3
How does Jack represent human society?
Primal, instinctual urges that are counterproductive
Ch 3
How does Simon represent human society?
Third quality to humanity- a kind if purity that is natural or innate (and not taught by human society)
Ch 4
The tricks that the sun and heat play on the boys is a continuation of what concept?
The concept of illusion versus reality
“What something is versus what they think something is”
Ch 4
What us a theme expressed in this chapter?
The well-spring of evil can always be traces back to the individual.
Ch 4
When the boys put on the “war-paint”, what is that symbolic of?
It’s somewhat symbolic of the boys shedding their superegos- the boys are taking on a new identity, a new shape
Superegos- represent their conscience
Make-up - changes someone from
who they are
Ch 4
What are examples of ritualism during the hunt?
Te hunt- a self baptizing act- what the boys do is common to any primitive tribe
Ritualism: chanting while killing pig
“Blood to blood” initiation…Jack killing
Freudian Psychology
Psychoanalysis
ID
“Pleasure principle” “primitive drive” - source of instincts and impulses that seeks immediate gratification
Ego
Part of psyche that experiences and reacts to the outside world; mediates between primitive drives of the ID and demands of social and physical environment
Superego
Part of personality representing the conscience; formed by social conditioning and moral standards experienced early in life; censors and restrains the ego
Ch 4
The two ideas of power and control mirror the novel’s what two major themes?
Civilization and savagery
Ch 4
How do Simon, Ralph, and piggy believe power should be used?
For the good of the group (utilitarian) and the protection of the littluns- a position representing the instinct toward civilization, order, and morality
Ch 4
How do Roger and Jack believe power should be used?
Power should enable those who have it and should satisfy their own desires and act on their impulses, feelings (ID), treating the littluns as servants or objects for their own amusement- a position representing the instinct toward savagery
Ch 4
What dies Roger so to the littluns on the beach?
Roger seems even crueler and less governed by morality
He teases the littluns by throwing ricks, but not hitting them
He knows its wrong to hit them, so he torments them instead
Ch 5
Why doesn’t Ralph blow the conch at the end if the chapter?
Ralph is on the verge of despair, boys are ignoring the rules, things are breaking up. Discipline is eroding. If Ralph blows the conch, he is scared that no one will come to him, he is truing to hold on to the little bit of authority he has
Ch 5
Central question is the presence of an evil force and the control or fear of that fear
Evil exists only in themselves
Ch 5
What is the mist important symbol in the novel?
The beast- represents both the terror and the allure of the primordial desire fir violence, power, and savagery that can lurk within every human soul
Percival Wemys Madison
A littlun who has been condition by society
Ch 5
In a religious reading, what does the beast represent?
The devil
Satan- pure essence of evil
Ch 5
Why does Jack and his hunters manipulate the boys feat of the beast to their own advantage?
Jack continues to hint that the beast exists (when he knows that it probably does not) - a manipulation that leaves the rest of the group fearful and looking to Jack and his hunters for help
Like Hitler using fear of people
Ch 6
As fear about the beast starts to permeate, what happens to the balance between civilization and savagery?
The balance between civilization and savagery shifts, Ralph’s control over the group starts to diminish
Jack becomes more powerful and mire respected
Ch 6
Compare the boys struggle to war
Just as the boys struggle with the conflict between civilization and savagery on the island, the world is gripping in similar conflict= war
War-“the continuation of politics through other means”
Savage outburst if civilization- desire for violence/power overwhelms desire for order/peace
Ch 6
Two quotes
“Crisis- used to measure the strength of character”
“Success only feeds the appetite of aggression…”
Ch 7
What does the vast intimidating ocean resemble?
Barrier
Ch 7
What dies island represent?
Microcosm of “civilization”
However it is fast eroding into chaos
Ch 7
What are Simon’s prophetic words?
“Don’t worry…you will get home alright”
He says this to Ralph, notice how he doesn’t say WE
Ch 7
What dies Ralph feel when he participates In the pig hunt?
The same exhilaration Jack feels
This is indicative that a vast majority of people have the seeds of violence and the urge to kill or excersise power over living things
Ralph is human, he has element of Dionysian awakening
Ch 7
What is the new manifestation of the beast?
The dead parachutist
Ch 8
What does Simon’s confrontation with the Lord of the Flies symbolize?
Good versus evil
Ch 8
How does Jack blow the conch?
“Inexpertly”
Symbolic of his lack of honest leadership
Ch 8
What happens to Jack
“I am not going to play any longer”
He runs off. During the night most boys go to join Hacks newly formed “tribe”
Ch 8
What happens when the hunters brutally kill a sow?
The brutality, torture, an aggressiveness goes way beyond desire fir meat
Scene is sadistic- hunters decapitate sow and place its head on the end if a stick as a gift for the beast
Ch 8
What desire do Ralph and Piggy express when Jack has a feast to proclaim himself as “chief”?
Somewhat demented desire to be accepted by this new group
The desire is present in most humans- the yearning for social acceptance, no matter what “society” may be
Ch 8
When Simon sees Lord of the Flies, who is he actually confronting?
His conscience
Ch 8
Classic confrontation of good versus evil
Man is scared
Man is told terrible truth
Man is tempted
Ch 8
What Simon realize?
That evil lives within mans soul is not external
He has vision of the capacity of evil and faints- symbolic of becoming overwhelmed with knowledge
Ch 8
What does the sows head represent?
He wickedness inside themselves
Ch 9
How is Simon acting like a saint?
He realizes the truth, both literally and figuratively, about the beast
He tries to bring the truth to the people
Ch 9
How does Simon meet his death?
At te hands of the frenzied hunters
Ch 8
What is the bast metaphor?
The “mouth” of the circle, tearing of the “teeth”, the “pulse” of the organism, etc
Ch 9
How has Simon come full circle?
His “ascension” toward the heavens, his “halo” like gathering of phosphorescent microorganisms around his head
Simon (and parachutist) is dragged out to sea by the tide
Ch 10
What has Jack established?
A primitive type of religion- based on fear and controlled by force (dictatorship)
The beast is not dead, it can come in any shape at any time
Symbolically this represent the true beast- essence of evil- something that lies in the soul and can take over ones conscience and cannot be killed
Ch 10
Raid on Ralph’s camp
Jack no longer feels beed i ask for fire
They steal Piggy’s specs
Ch 11
What does the destroyed conch represent?
Destruction of civilized order
Ch 11
Who kills Piggy? How?
Roger. Power “surges” through his body as he breaks off boulder which bounds down cliff
Ch 12
What is happening to Ralph ?
He is being hunted/smokes out of hiding like an animal
“Sharpen a stick at both ends”
Ralph runs into rescue party of marines who saw Jacks smoke
Ralph “wept for loss of innocence”
